New attraction at Burgers' Zoo

Burgers' Ocean

Burgers' Zoo in the Dutch city of Arnhem is not only one of the most impressive zoological parks in Europe, but also one that celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. What started out as a modest private animal collection in 1913, then called "Faisanterie Buitenlust", has become a popular getaway destination over the decades not only among locals.

While other zoos house their animals in more or less modern and partly theme-fitting enclosures, Burgers' Zoo provides "eco-displays", which implies that the natural habits are reconstructed as life-like as possible – the unique combination of flora and fauna is also represented. An excellent case in point are the themed halls, including "Burgers' Desert" linking to the North American Sonoran Desert with cactus, palms, succulent plants and with animals native to the desert, like peccaries or red foxes. Another example is "Burgers' Busch", a 1.5 hectare indoor tropical rainforest which is home to several songbirds, iguanas or aardvark. Especially "Burgers' Mangrove" and "Burgers' Ocean" are absolutely something to write home about: with giant aquariums and adequate panorama windows the latter invites visitors to dive into the depth of the immeasurable ocean populated by sharks and rays, to name only two. When thinking of the tanks exhibited at several Sea Life Centres all this eco-display is well worth the admission fee.

Impressions Burgers' Zoo (September 2013)

New for 2013: Kids Jungle

Burgers' Kids Jungle

The great new attraction has nevertheless nothing to do with the biological diversity of our planet. It rounds off the offer instead. "Kids Jungle" is an indoor playground where up to 300 children can frolic around whatever the weather. Adjacent to a zoo restaurant, parents may observe their little adventurers closely while enjoying a nice cup of coffee or a delicious fresh meal on the terrace, but they should mind the acoustic of the hall on peak days that makes one or another stressed parent wait and watch outside.

The interior design gives special attention to diverse play elements: the soft floor looks like an ocean with islands where crocodiles and suchlike obstacles are to be faced. Since the children's safety has been the number one priority right from the start, the attractions were tested and approved by a neutral supervisory body. Another neat element is easy to spot: the extensive use of wood that holds monkey bars, rope bridges or slides – all in sort of a 'natural, zoological look', except the energy saving lamps hanging from the ceiling. They seem a bit misplaced, but in ecological view they surely do have a right to exist there ...

Burgers' Zoo definitely is one of the leading European zoos. Visitors can look forward to well-prepared information, a facility that withstands any weather condition as far as possible due to the eco-displays and covered paths, an harmonic but by no means tacky theming, giant enclosures to be found at the Safari section and a really beautiful landscape design. The narrow parking spaces on a wooded plot and the catering's price/performance ratio could be considered the only imperfection in need for improvement.